LuxDev’s Post

It's Time to Empower Female African IVMs to Build Their Track Records In our third post in this series (funded by GIZ via BMZ and co-created by AWI and Maitri Capital), we're shining a spotlight on a key challenge faced by female IVMs in Africa: building a track record of successful investments. An IVM is a manager of an investment vehicle, responsible for decision making and day to day running of the investment vehicle. The Data Speaks Volumes The numbers are clear: access to capital is a significant hurdle. A striking 63% of emerging IVMs need at least 5 investments to even get started. Our survey also revealed a noteworthy trend: established IVMs, those managing operational investment vehicles, often require 10+ investments before securing substantial funding. However, 82% of emerging female IVMs are aiming to raise funds with 5 or fewer investments, due to a lack of access to capital and other resources.  This ambitious goal highlights their drive and potential, but it also presents a unique challenge in a landscape where investors often rely on extensive track records. Charting a New Path Forward Investors:  Let's challenge traditional norms and embrace the immense potential of diverse talent. Imagine a future where high-potential female IVMs are identified early on and supported through pilot programs, mentorship, and accelerated track record deal flow financing. By providing these resources and collaborating with other IVMs, we can help fast-track the ability of these women to build impressive track records. IVMs: Take the Initiative! Seek out mentorship from experienced IVMs who can share their knowledge and networks. Specialize in a high-growth sector where your expertise can shine.  By taking proactive steps, you can position yourself for success and attract investors seeking your unique skillset. Partnering for Progress: Supporting Women in African Venture Capital By working collaboratively, we can reshape the investment landscape and unlock a new generation of female African IVMs. It's time to break down barriers, foster innovation, and create a more inclusive and equitable ecosystem for all. Learn more in our report “Unlocking Capital for Emerging Female Investment Vehicle Managers,” funded by GIZ through the Make-IT in Africa program and co-created by AWI and Maitri Capital. Click HERE to read it: https://t.ly/KgOeY #Africa #Investment #WomenInFinance #FinancialInclusion #PathFunderFacility #AWI #MaitriCapital

This #InternationalWomensDay, we're proud to shine a spotlight on an extraordinary initiative that supports female entrepreneurs in Togo: the FemPreneur Project. Spearheaded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (atingi.org, ProDED Togo), in collaboration with local partners, GOPA Worldwide Consultants, and common sense eLearning & training consultants, the FemPreneur project aims to enhance the economic stance of small and micro- female entrepreneurs through bolstering their entrepreneurial and digital skills. Why FemPreneur? Despite a global rise in female entrepreneurship, women face significant hurdles, especially in regions with low educational participation. FemPreneur seeks to change that narrative by leveraging the atingi Learning Design Model and a human-centered design approach. Our Journey: From a Co-Creation Workshop that intimately involved our target demographic to the development and localization of three fundamental courses, our path has been one of collaboration, innovation, and learning. Want to know more? Check out the challenges we've overcome, and the milestones we've achieved in our latest blog post: https://lnkd.in/dxM3n72W Let's celebrate the strides we're making towards a more inclusive and equitable world this International Women's Day. Join us in empowering women across the globe. 💪🎉 #FemPreneur #DigitalEmpowerment #EnablingLearning

It’s time to bridge the funding gap for female African IVMs. The funding gap for female African investment vehicle managers (IVMs) is a critical issue we can no longer ignore. Establishing a credible track record takes over 18 months, and for female IVMs, this often involves funding through personal savings and family loans. Due to financial pressures, only 24% of female IVMs can commit full-time. (Excerpt from our report below.) Investors should recognize the unique challenges faced by emerging female IVMs and consider partnering with organizations that support them, moving beyond traditional metrics. Female IVMs should push for flexible funding structures, explore innovative models like warehousing facilities, and cultivate strong networks and mentorships to bridge funding gaps. Support organizations should provide tailored training, networking opportunities, and mentorship to empower female IVMs for success. Dive deeper into our findings in the report, “Unlocking Capital for Emerging Female Investment Vehicle Managers,” funded by GIZ and co-created by AWI and Maitri Capital. Link in the comments. #Africa #Investment #WomenInFinance #FinancialInclusion #PathFunderFacility #AWI #MaitriCapital

In the excerpt posted by Steven Bartlett this morning, Reshma Saujani puts it very eloquently, when she says "... it has never been about whether we are qualified, or whether we are prepared.... We've literally been fed this propaganda that we're not good enough, we're not smart enough, and that we don't belong. The real resistance, in this moment, is saying no more... I'm here and I can lead too!" Maybe the mantra for this year's IWD should be those last words: "no more", "I'm here and I can lead too!". Here's why: a) A gender diverse workplace is only considered a priority in 80% of Canadian workplaces, 1 in 4 executive-level roles are held by women, less than 1 in 5 board positions are held by women, & less than 1 in 3 are in public office and political positions. b) There is at least 6% less job security for women despite possessing the requisite qualification for employment, 5% less likely to receive support from managers or even training paid for by their employer, STILL, they are more likely to overwork (resulting in burnout), have feelings of imposter syndrome, lack mentoring opportunities, take on additional but rarely rewarded work, be questioned regarding their ability to perform in managerial roles, & give in to pressure and leave the industry. WOMEN EARN LESS THAN MEN IN 94% OF OCCUPATIONS - EVEN IN THOSE DOMINATED BY WOMEN! c) By far the most confounding, is that THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY widening gap between women and resources. GENDER CONTINUES TO IMPACT THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEEKING AND SECURING FINANCING. Women-owned businesses are more likely than male-owned businesses to start their enterprise with significantly lower levels of financial capital. Women-owned businesses are less likely than male-owned businesses to have their bank loans approved & in the occasion that they are approved, are charged higher interest rates. In fact, being male increases the probability of being an entrepreneur while women are often drawn to entrepreneurship due to job scarcity. Over 83% of women-owned businesses use personal sources of financing to start their businesses. "Every year that this disparity continues in Canada, where women-owned businesses are underrepresented in the funding pool, the Canadian economy loses out on $100billion”. WOMEN CONTINUE TO GET A RAW DEAL! While there are not enough organizations working to change this reality, there is definitely progress. Yesterday, WTAL Canada announced its 2-year collaboration with SAI to ensure that women have access to FREE credentials/courses from their Continuing Education & Professional Studies departments to upskill, reskill, or embark on a new career journey. With this opportunity, the financial burden is alleviated & the expertise to advance is obtained. The quest for gender parity is not a 1-day affair. Every day, women advancement should be championed. Be a champion. #iwd2024 Stats: Statistics Canada Lora, Sara, Christa, Bukky, Dana-Marie, Margo, D'Andre, Wunmi, Patrick.

In the EIC Accelerator CEO-female-led companies ranking, even if France has the highest number of companies; Spain is the real leader with 35% of the Spanish winners having a female CEO raising 32% of the total awarded to Spanish companies. The ranking is based on the number of winners of a specific country/the total number of winners of that country. The same for the amount raised. In our infographic, you'll find all the data & stats for female CEO led companies that were awarded funding from the EIC Accelerator broken down by country. #eic #eicaccelerator2024 #eicaccelerator #horizoneurope Lira.ltd, Emmanuele Angione, Paul Pietrangelo, Marcello De Falco, Giorgio Recine, Maura Bernardini, Lorenzo Stramucci, Marco Abate, Mario Kostan, Nicole Di Nardo, Bevan Carr, Jim Ryan, Tzali Cnaani, Peter Ostoich, Maria Federica Carboni, Alison Destoc, Ayşegül GUNDUZ, PhD, Maddy Daogaru, Edward Emmanuel

💡In AEEI’s latest research study, 86% of the surveyed women investors agreed that they had several investors in their networks whom they would trust to lead a syndicate they were part of. In comparison, 78% of men reported the same. 🌍 This strong network foundation is reflected in the numerous established and emerging women angel groups in Africa. Among these angel groups are Dazzle Angels, Rising Tide Africa, Jasiri Angels, and Women in African Investments - WAI Group, to name a few. 🔎 There are many benefits to being part of an angel group. We’ve highlighted a few in the images below, but are there any you can think of that are missing? ➡️ Join us at AEEI’s report launch webinar on 7 August 2024 to gain deeper insights from their latest report which will unpack the barriers and enablers for women angel investors in Africa: https://lnkd.in/dwHibKpJ This research was made possible with funding from ARISE, a collaboration between Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, 2X Global, Criterion Institute, supported by Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada. *AEEI is Viridian's non-profit arm.

At Active Albania, represented by Majlinda haloci, we were immensely proud to be in the company of the remarkable women entrepreneurs acknowledged by H.E. Mr. Niklas Ström, the Swedish Ambassador in Albania, and the dynamic team at Challenge Fund - EU4Innovation. This acknowledgment highlights the indispensable role of women entrepreneurs in driving our local economy forward. Entrepreneurship is the opportunity to change the world, and the price of success is relentless work. Sometimes it has seemed to us like a battle against windmills, but persistence is all it takes. It has always been harder than we anticipated. Yet we feel fortunate to contribute to significant transformations in remote areas, preservation of nature, enhancing the well-being and happiness of people in overlooked communities. This is our greatest motivation. Let's support each other. Perhaps then we can start to have less fear, make fewer wrong assumptions, let go of prejudices and stereotypes that divide us unnecessarily. There is power in being heard, in telling our unique stories, in using our authentic voice. Let's be ready to acknowledge and listen to others. We want to tell everyone who has a dream to pursue it. Work will always bring you to the surface. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not good enough or that your idea is worthless. Whether you are a girl or you don't come from the capital, you can make it. Stay true and don't tire of improving yourselves. Of course, you can shine! Life is a journey of ups and downs, embrace the best around you, learn from your mistakes, and be part of positive changes for yourself, your family, and your country. This is important. Be curious and don't forget to travel, as a journey can change your life! #WomenEntrepreneurs #Empowerment #Persistence #CommunityImpact #Innovation #Diversity #ChangeMakers #DreamBig #SupportEachOther #PositiveChange #LifeJourney #TravelInspiration #InternationalWomenDay

This week, the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) Accelerator team attended the Foro Latinoamericano de Inversion de Impacto (FLII) conference to promote the APEP Accelerator, and to explain its purpose. The team emphasized that the program aims to help social enterprises in #LatinAmerica to grow their business, access new markets and capital. #FLIIconnect #FLII2024 #APEPAccelerator #APEP #accesstocapital #privatesectorengagement | USAID | Palladium: Make It Possible

🆕 Level 20 to launch regional chapter in CEE We are delighted to announce that, on 19 March in Warsaw, we will launch our newest regional chapter, covering Central and Eastern Europe. The event will be attended by Level 20 CEO, Gurpreet Manku, alongside representatives of the private equity industry from Poland, the Baltics, Romania and the Czech Republic. 🇵🇱🇷🇴🇨🇿🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹 The Level 20 CEE Chapter will aim to create a strong community of women within the private equity sector in the region, inspiring each other to achieve success and set new standards for diversity in the industry. Monika Nachyla, partner at Abris Capital Partners and Chair of the Polish Level 20 committee, comments: "The private equity communities in most countries in Central and Eastern Europe are too small to enable us to create independent branches of the Level 20 organization. That is why it is so important that we have been able to create a regional hub, which will help us support and empower women in private equity in CEE, and act as a catalyst to encourage more female professionals to join the industry." In addition to a speech from Gurpreet Manku, the event will feature a panel discussion on strategies to support diversity in the region, with participation from EBRD - CEE's most active investor. Find out more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/edZRy4qf #Level20 #PrivateEquity #equity #diversity #inclusion #DEI #ESG PSIK, the Polish Private Equity & Venture Capital Association

The Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, launched by the WTO and the ITC in February 2024, aims to empower women entrepreneurs by helping them grow their businesses through international trade and digitalization. The USD 50 million WEIDE Fund will unlock opportunities in international trade and digital trade for women entrepreneurs by improving their access to: grants and support from financial institutions to reduce the finance gap technical assistance and training related to digital skills and improving export competitiveness export markets, with the aim of connecting more women to digital market platforms networks and support services, with the objective of creating more inclusive and effective business ecosystems including leveraging partnerships with the private and public sectors. With the support of the WEIDE Fund, women-led small businesses will be able to: Improve their business operations to increase their competitiveness Transact business and trade more effectively internationally Use new or more online channels to sell their products/services Create and upgrade employment opportunities Benefit from additional assistance provided by a corporate partner as a result of support from the Fund. https://lnkd.in/daGwbD53